Door-control system



3m. 1, w24 mmm A. GOTTSCHALK DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed spt. 11. 1920 TROLLEY LIIv will Patented dan. l, i924.

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ALBERT GOTTSCHALK, OF YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO` NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

DOOR-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application led September 11, 1920. Serial No. 409,737.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT GoTrsoHALK, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at New York, county of Bronx, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Door-Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to door control systems such as are employed in the street, subway, or elevated railway systems.

The object of the invention is to provide a system wherein the control of the doors on the car or train of cars is dependent upon the position of the car or train of cars relative to the station or platform.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby with a single manipulation from a single control station, all of the doors of the car or train of cars will be simultaneously opened or closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby upon the manipulation from a single station of the control mechanism only the doors of the car or train of cars which are opposite to the platform will be controlled thereby.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a system of the character above set forth which is-simple, efficient in operation and economical of installation and maintenance and wherein safety for the passengers boarding or alighting from the car or train of cars is secured, and, further, wherein electrical means is employed for effecting the control of the doors of the car or train of cars in a safe manner without employing any exposed energized portionsv of the electrical system.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter. y The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings r- Fig. l is a diagrammatic view in plan showing the last two cars of a train of cars at a stationv platform.

F ig. 2 is a similar view showing the front two cars of-a train of cars at the front end of a station or platform.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the front endv of a car or train of cars projecting beyond the vcontrol mechanism of a station platform.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the relation of a car relative to the station platform and the control means employed in relation to my invention.

The same part is designated by the same reference characters wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide a system of door control wherein a single operator on the train or on the station platform may effect the simultaneous control of all doors of the car or train of rcars which are accessible to the station platform and to eect this control, as one illustration of my invention, electrically, but without any permanently energized rails or current conductors on the station platform to form -a source of danger to the passengers on the platform through accidental coming in contact therewith.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown at l a station platform provided with a conducting rail 2 located preferably beneath the platform l and under the projecting portion thereof to render the same inaccessible from the platform. This conductor rail is normally out of contact withl any source of power and consequently forms no source of danger to the passengers. In accordance with my invention I supply current from any suitable source, for example, from lthe control line or third rail supply, which is employed to propel the car or train of cars and thence by the operator to the rail 2 which I will term the door control rail. .I

thereafter utilize current from the door control rail for controlling the doors of the car or train of cars which are opposite to the door control rail. By this means it will be apparent that the only time at which the door control railwill be energized willv be when the car or train of cars is opposite thereto. 'f

It is the present practice in this art toeffect the opening and closing movements of the doors to permit passengers to alight from or board the car by means of pneumatic motors, the Huid pressure supply to and the exhaust thereof from which are controlled by magnet valves which kin turn are controlled by an electric current as will be readily understood. lt is also the present custom to provide a door motor for each door and at least one magnet valve for controlling each door motor. ln the drawings l have diagrammatically illustrated the door motor at 3 and the magnet valve for controlling the same at 4, the door motor controlling the opening and closing movements of the door 5. It will be understood, ofcourse, that when the magnet l is energized, the door motor 3 will cause the door 5 to open and, similarly, when the magnetv l in this illustration is de-energized, the motor 3 will cause the door 5 to close. Each car is equipped with what l will term door shoes 6 and energizing shoes 7, both of which are adapted to bear yieldingly against the door control rail 2 so that, when a car or train of cars pulls into the station, the doors opposite to the station will have their respective shoes G in contact with the door control rail 2 and at least one shoe 7 will be in contact 'with 'the rail 2.v New it will be apparent that if current is supplied from any source'thr'ough the shoe 7 to the door control rail 2 to therebyenergize the rail 2, the respective shoes 6 willtap current .from the rail 2 and supplythe same through wire 8 to the magnet valve 4 and thence to ground and thereby cause the actuation of the motor 3 to open the door 5. This,of course, will occur for every door ofthe car or train of cars which is opposite to the platform or, in other words, which has its individual door shoe in contact withthe door control rail.

lt will be apparent from the foregoing that it is immaterial where the control is effected, that. is, whether it be from the car or train of cars or from a point on the station. I have illustrated the principle of my invention, however, as applied yto a control effected from the first car of the train of cars, which car I have numbered 9, andy wherein current is supplied from the source to the wire l0 which is controlled by a switch ll, which switch when closed transmits the current to wire 12, shoe 7, door control rail 2, and thence to each and every one of the door shoes 6 of the car or train of carsY which is in contact witlrthe rail 2 andfwhich obviously is dependent upon the number of doors or cars and the lengt-h of the rail 2.

While l have shown my invention as applied to cars having front and rear doors, l wish it tobe understood that this is merely illustrative and that cars having any desired number of doors are contemplated. Likewise, it will be apparent Vthat by eX- tending the door control rail 2 to any desired length, within the limits, of course` of the station platform, it is possible to effect a simultaneous operation of all of the doors of any desired number of cars with the safety feature that all doors not opposite the platform will remain inoperative. Also, as

is illustrated, one or more control points will be provided throughout a train of cars, dependent upon where it is"determined to be desired or most eiiicient to have the con trol of the doors eiected. Also, as above stated, inasmuchY as 'it is the supply of current to the door control'rail that yeffects the desired operation of the doors it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this need notl he secured from the train itself but may be effected from any desired or suitable location. f

Many modifications and changes in details will readily occur to those skilled inthe art and l desire, therefore, tohave the foregoing description and the illustrations forming a partthereo'f regarded :inthe-illus'- trative sense ,as illustrating the'principles of my invention rather than kin lthe 'limiting sense and having shownand described asystem embodying the principles thereof, what l claim as new and useful and desire `l`to fsecure byLetters Patent iszl. In a' door controlsystem, and in combination with a station platform and Qnelor more cars having doorsiand electrically op'- erated means vfor controlling thedors, of a current conductor extending substantially parallel to the platform, a contactor fOr cach door carried fby .the car'and v adapted to contact with the conductor .when OpPQ- site the platform,A said contacter ',being" in electrical yconnection with said door controlling means, and means .for supplying current to said conductor.

2. The combination Ywith ,a station `platform and a normally de energizedcOndlletor rail, of one or more cars havingdOOLS, and electrically operated means for yControlling the movements ofsaid doors,;means for' esl tablishingy electricall connection between. Said rail and each of'said'electrically operated means which controls a door opposite to said platform, and means -controlled from the car for supplying ,current to said'rail.

3.' The `combina-tion witha station' platform and a normally deenergized conductor rail, of one or morel cars'having doors, and electrically operated means for controlling the movements of said doors, means *for automatically establishing electrical connection between saidlrailzandeach of said electrically operated means whichcontrolsa door opposite to said platform, and means controlled from the car' forA supplying ,current to said rail. i

4L. The combination with a `station platform and a normallydeene'rgized conductor rail extending the substantial length thereof, of one or more cars having doorsA and an electrically controlled device for controllingthe movements of each door,".each1of said electrically controlled devices being in circuit with a contacterv adapted to lautomatically contact with said rail when 'its respective door is opposite said platform, and means for supplying current to said rail.

5. The combination With a station platform and a normally deenergized conductor rail extending the substantial length thereof, of one or more cars having doors and an electrically controlled devicefor controlling the movements of each door, each of said electrically controlled devices being in circuit With a contactor adapted to automatically contact with said rail When its respective door is opposite said platform, and means controlled from the car for sup` plying current to said rail.

6. The combination With a station platform and a normally deenergized conductor rail extending the substantial length there of, of one or more cars having doors and an electrically controlled device for controlling the movements of each door, each of said electrically controlled devices being in circuit With a contactor adapted to automatically contact With said rail When its respective door is opposite said platform, said car also having a contactor in circuit with a source of current and adapted to automatically contact With said rail.

7. The combination With a station platform and a normally deenergized conductor rail extending the substantial length thereof, of one or more cars having doors and an electrically controlled device for controlling the movements of each door, each of said electrically controlled devices being in circuit With a contactor adapted to automatically contact With said rail When its respective door is opposite said platform, said car also having a contactor in circuit with a source of current and adapted to automatically contact with said rail, and means for controlling said last named circuit.

In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto set my hand on this 7th day of Sept., A. D.,

ALBERT GOTTSCHALK. 

